The Institute for Research on Labor, Employment, and the Economy (IRLEE) at the University of Michigan was established in July 2008 as a new entity, merging two longstanding university units, the Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations (ILIR) and the Business and Industrial Assistance Division (BIAD). The new Institute has as its mandate to form a coherent conceptual framework, incorporating:

basic knowledge about the economy;

the impacts of economic trends on the well-being of individuals, families, and communities;

wide-ranging economic program interventions for communities in distress to stimulate economic development; and

evaluation of the effectiveness of interventions in improving economic competitiveness, in ameliorating problems associated with economic restructuring and transformation, and in contributing to innovative economic development policy.

The Institute also provides educational services to workers, many of whom are facing issues of economic displacement.